Some of my friends and I are headed to SD for a week of public land hunting in mid November. We will have 2 dogs. A German short hair and and English pointer. I was trying to get some insight on what we can expect as far as public land hunts...terain, cover etc. also if anyone has any tips they would like to pass on to make my trip from Ohio more enjoyable. That would be greatly appreciated. God bless.
November
- Thread starter Amsrc11
- Start date
Ohiouplandhunting
New member
Have been out the last two years during the first week of November and hunted public land both times, mostly around the Mitchell area. Most of the public land is pretty good. Use the hunting guide to find areas you want. The first year I tried some of the WPAs and found a few birds on the edges in the high grass. Last year I went back and most of the areas were dried up. So things vary year to year.
Some of the areas have 6 ft high grass some are knee high. Some are busier then others. I've never had a problem with an area being to crowded. If you have good dogs don't be afraid to try an area others have hunted. The wild birds run and if you approach from a different angle you may have success. If you are used to Ohio hunting you are going to be surprised at the number of birds.
What ever shells you decide on practice before going. I tried using new shells on my first trip and paid for it. The birds in South Dakota are not like Ohio birds, they are smart and will run on the first sign of danger. Stop about a half mile from where your going to hunt get your gear and dogs ready. When you get to the parking area be ready to go. Almost every time I find birds within the first 40 yards. If you get to the parking lot and are turning beepers on, slamming doors and such you will not find many birds.
Don't be afraid to ask the locals where to go. They are very friendly and love the fact you have come. They won't give you their spots but will tell you about the best public areas and where others have had success.
the drive out from Ohio is long and boring. It ends up being about 16 hrs for me each way. When you include fuel stops and dog breaks. Avoid Chicago at all cost if you can lots of tolls and traffic.
I learn each time I go so there are probably people on this board that know more than me. Next to our family vacation it is the week I look forward to each year. Good luck let me know if you need anything else.
Some of the areas have 6 ft high grass some are knee high. Some are busier then others. I've never had a problem with an area being to crowded. If you have good dogs don't be afraid to try an area others have hunted. The wild birds run and if you approach from a different angle you may have success. If you are used to Ohio hunting you are going to be surprised at the number of birds.
What ever shells you decide on practice before going. I tried using new shells on my first trip and paid for it. The birds in South Dakota are not like Ohio birds, they are smart and will run on the first sign of danger. Stop about a half mile from where your going to hunt get your gear and dogs ready. When you get to the parking area be ready to go. Almost every time I find birds within the first 40 yards. If you get to the parking lot and are turning beepers on, slamming doors and such you will not find many birds.
Don't be afraid to ask the locals where to go. They are very friendly and love the fact you have come. They won't give you their spots but will tell you about the best public areas and where others have had success.
the drive out from Ohio is long and boring. It ends up being about 16 hrs for me each way. When you include fuel stops and dog breaks. Avoid Chicago at all cost if you can lots of tolls and traffic.
I learn each time I go so there are probably people on this board that know more than me. Next to our family vacation it is the week I look forward to each year. Good luck let me know if you need anything else.
Pat Comyn DVM
New member
Nov Hunt
I would be a little concerned with your dog power with several people and a week in pheasant country. The northern plains are rough on dogs. If your dogs aren't in really great shape and have real hard feet, they will last 2 maybe 3 days. 2 days if there is a lot of snow. Last November, 3 dogs lasted 4 days. It was cold, windy and snowy. Just be aware that SD / ND aren't at all like the east. The crop residue (esp beans and flowers) is tough on feet, but the grass can be worse.
I would be a little concerned with your dog power with several people and a week in pheasant country. The northern plains are rough on dogs. If your dogs aren't in really great shape and have real hard feet, they will last 2 maybe 3 days. 2 days if there is a lot of snow. Last November, 3 dogs lasted 4 days. It was cold, windy and snowy. Just be aware that SD / ND aren't at all like the east. The crop residue (esp beans and flowers) is tough on feet, but the grass can be worse.
I'm also heading up there, Chamberlain, the first week of November, except my situation is two guys and no dogs. Aside from it being pretty much a peeing in the wind waste of time trip, what areas should we avoid given our situation?
I'm not one to ask where I should go, or where the birds are, but I also don't want the 10hr drive and vacation time to be a complete exercise in futility.
I'm not one to ask where I should go, or where the birds are, but I also don't want the 10hr drive and vacation time to be a complete exercise in futility.
Depends on the weather. Personally I would avoid large fields as they can be hard to hunt, especially without a dog. Try and find nice ditches next to standing crops or freshly cut crops. Evenings along these ditches can become quite productive. Also if you can find a public field next to standing crops the birds should walk and/or fly from the crops to roost in the field. The more choke points you can push the birds to the better chance you will have of them flying and not running around you. That time of year can be tough because the crappy weather usually hasn't kicked them into real thick cover and they have been chased and have become wise to running instead of flying.
My advice is stay out of fields and work roadside ditches. Get up early and travel gravel roads and find ditches that have cover next to harvested fields. My group have hunted S D many years and we have found if you go out without a good game plan it can be VERY disappointing. We now have private land to hunt and it is great but we struggled big time until we figured it out
Our time frame is pretty open, but were figuring on avoiding the opening due to the number of guys out and thought first of November would work, plus I have to work around our deer season, mid November, and though the weather in December may be a bit harder to hunt. Or have I got that backwards?
We have hunted the 4th week of the season for the last several years. It seems that after that you can hit some bad weather. Earlier we found the temps were hard on our dogs. If you are going without dogs and you are mainly hunting ditches you want to go when most of he crops are out. Without dogs and the crops in you will be into a very long hunting trip
jackrabbit
Active member
As others have said, if you go without a dog and early in the year, good luck. Stick to ditches next to harvest corn or sunflower fields and you will find some birds though. I would avoid the easily accessible areas around Chamberlain, they get hit hard. Get away from I-90 a bit.
gunflint charlie
Member
Can't predict when crops will come out in a given year, but typically by end of Oct., so your timing should be ok. You're getting good advice on hunting ditches with good cover near harvested fields. Birds will be running ahead of pressure by then, so drop a guy at one end, the other guy drive on to post the other end, or walk from both ends to meet near the middle.
That was kind of the plan we were thinking, not set on Chamberlain either, will be coming in from the east on 90, so pretty much willing to stay anywhere along that route. Just looked like Chamberlain or Mitchell will have the better choices of the few places to stay. I picked Chamberlain because I may have a contact there, still waiting on if than pans out.
Another question, on the SD GFP website, where do they come up with the hunter and harvest numbers by county? I've seen no reference to reporting where you hunt or where you kill birds.
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reddog
Well-known member
For your first post, you brought out a very good point.. It takes a lot of dog power to hunt SD if your gonna wing it yourself. I hunt alone with 2 GSPs, and rotate them. By the end of the day, theyre dog tired. By the end of the trip, theyre trash.
Welcome to the site Pat!
BirddogGSP
Active member
My advice would be go hit the nasty stuff and use the crowds to your advantage. Most hunter hitting the publics will park the cars in the parking areas, slam doors and then start screaming at the dog. The birds obviously have been conditioned and say oh crap better get out of here. Let the other group "push" the birds to you. Find a way to get to the other end of the parcel. Obviously don't impeded the other groups hunt.
reddog
Well-known member
Are you doing the Iowa trip, or the SD trip in mid November?, or both?
i alternate my two during the day as well, i boot them, so i can get 10 days out of them, but they look starved and skinny when we head home, but they are some happy dogs...10 in a row is killer on me too!
